I Don't Know Where I Got These Shoes
by Dookaller
Summary: When Yugi comes home from school, exhausted from having to be a teenager, a duelist, and essentially a medium, all he's looking for is some understanding. But Grandpa has never been good at that kind of thing.


_This conversation exists in a nether realm of misunderstanding._

* * *

It was a hot day in Domino City. Yugi entered the game shop with a sigh and plopped his school bag down next to the counter.

"What's the matter?" His grandpa asked.

"Eh, nothing new, man inside me…" he mumbled tearing off his school jacket.

"What?! What's going on?"

Yugi pulled out his deck, and rearranging the order of the cards like he'd done so many times before, said nonchalantly "There's a man inside my head."

"Oh, in your head- I… Oh… I wasn't sure what you meant."

"It's just frustrating sometimes you know?"

"It can be sometimes… So… Are you having problems with Joey then?"

He glanced up from his cards, "Joey? No… I mean, sorta.' He's been kinda preoccupied lately if that's what you mean. His sister is going through some stuff. But it's okay, his sister needs him."

"It's hard when you want someone's full attention, but you can't blame them for not giving it to you."

"Well I mean, I don't _need_ his attention."

"There's nothing wrong with _wanting_ his attention though, Yugi…"

"You're confusing me Grandpa. It would be hypocritical of me to expect him to be there for me every waking moment." He continued speaking still going through his cards, pulling one out and placing it on the counter.

"Why, because no one can distract you from _Duel Monsters_?" his grandfather taunted.

"I'm listening to you." He put his deck down. "Besides, it's far more complicated than Duel Monsters." He fondled his puzzle slightly.

"Ah, young love, of course it's complicated,"

Yugi laughed, "Young love, you make it sound like Joey and I…" He looked into his Grandpa's assuming eyes. "Grandpa! Joey and I are not, I'm not… What's the matter with you?"

"Yugi, I'm here for you no matter what."

"Grandpa, I am not… a homosexual… Why would you think that?"

"… What would you expect me to think?..."

"Excuse me?"

"Well… You were always such an introverted kid-"

"Ech, I've gained a lot of confidence."

"Well that's my point, you just stayed up in your room solving puzzles, and then you meet Joey and everything changes. You start going to big game competitions with him, and he stands up for you and you stop getting bullied at school, and you start wearing nice shoes… and leather… I mean where did all this leather come from? I certainly didn't get it for you; you and I haven't gone shopping together since you were 13. I mean any normal person would think-"

"Ugh! I can't believe this, I'm going upstairs."

"Oh Yugi, I'm sorry, Okay? I'm sorry if I crossed a line… Tell me what's really wrong?- Hang on," He went to the door of the shop and changed the sign to 'closed' before following Yugi upstairs to his room.

Upon entering Yugi draped himself onto his bed in frustration, pushing his face into his comforter with his arms positioned around his head. Though his head was face down, the rest of his body lay on its side with one leg slightly bent. It occurred to him suddenly that the way he was laying was rather feminine, and lifting his head from the bed, went to adjust himself into a more masculine pose. He switched back before he finished however, noting to himself that he shouldn't need to look or act a certain way to keep people from making outlandish assumptions. Outside of Yugi's head, his Grandpa just saw him flop down on his bed dramatically and then fidget angrily.

Grandpa took the chair from Yugi's desk and placed it next to the bed before sitting down in front of his grandson and taking a deep breath.

"I wouldn't have to make assumptions about you if we talked more."

"Are you really gonna' play that card?"

Grandpa nodded, "It's _your _move."

"I'm not purposefully keeping anything from you, I just have a lot busier of a life than I used to."

"I know, but we have time now, you came home today, upset, talk to me."

"I wasn't upset, it had just been a long day."

"Okay…"

"For the record Grandpa, I have no idea where I got these shoes either…"

Grandpa let out a chortle. Yugi smiled but then sighed, trying to blow a bit of his bangs out of his face.

"Gramps… You and I both know it's not Joey. I mean that's not what happened and then suddenly my life was different… It was the puzzle."

"Oh, Yugi, superstition."

"But it's not superstition Grandpa, there's a presence in the puzzle."

"Uhuh…"

"He speaks to me, he helps me with duels, we've become a bit of a team,"

"He?"

"Yeah, it's a person. I don't always know what's going on, but I do know that he's a good person."

"Really?" Yugi nodded in response, "And he talks to you… in your head?"

"Well, yeah…"

Grandpa paused, the room was awkwardly silent as they spoke to each other. "And this is what's been bothering you? What you haven't been talking to me about?"

"Well… Yes. It's not the easiest thing to bring up Gramps. It's kinda nice to talk about it though,"

"Yes, yes… Would you want to maybe talk to someone else then?"

"What do you mean?"

There was a long silence while Yugi's Grandfather thought of what to say, "There is this place, on Checker Avenue. There is a woman there whom I like. She is very nice… understanding, I spoke with her after coming back from Egypt years back. "I was thinking perhaps on Wednesday, we could go and see her?"

"Well on Wednesdays Joey and I…" Yugi frowned, "Spoke with her after Egypt…? Your therapist? You think I'm crazy?!"


End file.
